Results for - Punished for Good Sportsmanship

1,548 voters participated in this survey

1. Did you hear about the student runner who was disqualified after helping a rival?

Yes

12%

182 votes

No

78%

1,210 votes

Undecided

3%

49 votes

Not Applicable

7%

107 votes

2. Seventeen-year-old Zachary Hougland had just won the district championship in cross country racing for his high school in Iowa when he saw Gary Hinson, a student from a rival school, collapse. Zachary waited, and even called out, asking - "Is anyone going to help him?" When no one did, Zachary walked back over, lifted Gary up, and helped him across the finish line. Do you think you would have done the same thing?

Yes

54%

834 votes

No

10%

153 votes

Undecided

24%

371 votes

Not Applicable

12%

190 votes

3. While Houglund was just trying to help, apparently he was in violation of the rules. Iowa schools follow the National Federation of Stage High School Association rules. For example: "NFHS rules do not allow a competitor to receive or give assistance from or to another competitor during a race," he said. "If a competitor receives or gives assistance, that competitor is disqualified from the event." Due to this, Houglund was stripped of the title he had just won. Do you think this is fair?

Yes, it seems like a clear violation of the rules.

9%

146 votes

No, I don't think helping someone who had fallen down is what is meant by these rules.

62%

955 votes

I'm not sure.

14%

220 votes

n/a

14%

218 votes

Other (please specify)

1%

9 votes

4. Hougland is a senior, so this was his last chance to compete at the state level. He may compete with his team, since they qualified. But not as an individual. Do you think that student athletes, in general, have a good grasp of what the rules for their sport are?